Equal rights, not special rights. It's a common mantra when it comes to civil rights in America. Minorities have argued they don't want special rights, just the rights the rest of the population is allowed.

The Marriage Protection Amendment proposed by state Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt, would define marriage as a union between a woman and a man and also would disallow civil unions between same-sex couples. The supporters behind the proposed amendment have argued the amendment is needed because the national Marriage Protection Act passed in 1996 has been overturned in a few states, because courts have ruled the Act is discriminatory.

The issues of same-sex marriages and civil unions are tricky. The individuals on both sides of the argument are very passionate and care deeply.

It's hard to say who is right or wrong, but this shouldn't be an issue of morality, it should be an issue of rights.

The amendment will be given to state legislators, and if they decide to put it on a ballot, it will be voted on by Michiganians. If the legislators vote not to put it on the ballot, then the backers of the amendment will try to get voters to put it on there.

We, as Americans, are used to being able to vote on every issue that comes before us. The majority of us wants to be able to have a say in everything going on in our government and in our lives.

However, whether Americans like it or not, there simply are some things that shouldn't be voted on. Civil rights is one of them.

Can you imagine what would have happened if civil rights issues would have been on the ballot in the South during the 1960s? In some states, the acts never would have happened. The majority of Americans aren't always interested in the rights of minorities, which is why legislators and courts have intervened to protect them.

This ruling doesn't just disrespect members of MSU's lesbian, bi, gay and transgender community - it also gives no regard to the courts and judges.

By making this an amendment that can't be overturned by the courts, the rights of judges to either overturn or uphold the 1996 Marriage Protection Act are being taken away.

Allowing members of the same sex to enter into either marriages or civil unions is not giving them special rights - they are simply getting status as equal members of society. Those who say the amendment does not encourage homophobia are fooling themselves. Those who seek to ban same-sex marriages and civil unions are rooting their decisions in personal beliefs in what is right and what is wrong.

At times in history, we have made decisions when it comes to civil rights that are regretted later - let's not have the Marriage Protection Amendment be one of them.

Members of MSU's LBGT community - and the rest of the state - aren't asking to be treated differently or anything special.

They are simply asking for the same rights as everyone else.